European stock markets fell Friday, led by semiconductor shares after tepid expectations from US chip maker Micron, while investors awaited inflation data in the euro zone to build their expectations about the pace of interest rate hikes.
Shares of Dutch semiconductor equipment company ASML, French-Italian chip maker ST Microelectronics and German chip maker Infineon fell by 3.1% to 4.1% after the company announced Micron reported a much weaker-than-expected outlook for its business.